Power supply systems are pervasive in many electronic applications from computers to automobiles. Generally, voltages within a power supply system are generated by performing a DC-DC, DC-AC, and/or AC-DC conversion by operating a switch loaded with an inductor or transformer. One class of such systems includes switched mode power supplies (SMPS). An SMPS is usually more efficient than other types of power conversion systems because power conversion is performed by controlled charging and discharging of the inductor or transformer and reduces energy lost due to power dissipation across resistive voltage drops.
A SMPS usually includes at least one switch and an inductor or transformer. Some specific topologies include buck converters, boost converters, and flyback converters, among others. A control circuit is commonly used to open and close the switch to charge and discharge the inductor. In some applications, the current supplied to the load and/or the voltage supplied to the load is controlled via a feedback loop.
One application of an SMPS is a charger for a lithium ion battery. Since lithium-ion batteries are prone to damage if an upper voltage limit is exceeded, it is common to charge the battery with a constant current until the output voltage reaches a target voltage. As result, such a battery charger may utilize a SMPS that is configured to provide a constant current. Because such battery chargers may convert AC current from a wall socket to a DC current, flyback converters that use a transformer are commonly used to provide galvanic isolation from the AC mains to the battery being charged.
There are number of different ways that a constant current may be maintained at the output of a flyback SMPS. For example, a current measurement may be performed at the output or secondary side of the flyback converter and fed back to a controller that operates the primary side switches of the flyback converter. Another way that a constant current may be maintained in a flyback SMPS is through primary current regulation in which an output current is indirectly sensed at the primary side of the SMPS.